After 7-year-old’s loss of life, Robeson County mom encourages secure storages of weapons

Terricka Parks acquired a cellphone name on April 8 that turned her world the wrong way up: Her 7-year-old son was useless.

Draquine Floyd Jr., a first-grader, was visiting his great-uncle’s dwelling within the Robeson County city of Fairmont when he discovered a loaded gun and unintentionally shot himself.

Greater than two months later, Parks remembers that decision from a member of the family prefer it was yesterday.

“I saved asking, ‘What’s occurring?’ and he simply saved saying, ‘It’s good to hurry up and get right here,’” Parks recalled. “I saved repeating myself – ‘What’s occurring?’ – after which that’s after they informed me what occurred.”

N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper talked about Draquine’s loss of life in saying a brand new gun-safety initiative this month. NC S.A.F.E (Safe All Firearms Successfully) supplies details about find out how to lock and retailer weapons and features a map of secure storage areas throughout the state.

The speed of firearm deaths amongst individuals beneath 18 greater than doubled from 2019 to 2021 in North Carolina, based on the governor’s workplace. Weapons are actually the No. 1 reason for injury-related deaths of youngsters within the state.

“There’s an pressing want for North Carolinians to soundly safe their firearms with a view to lower childhood deaths, lower firearm thefts, and enhance the security of houses and communities,” Cooper stated in a information launch.

Gun violence elevated throughout the nation in the course of the coronavirus pandemic. The variety of youngsters killed by gunfire jumped 50% between 2019 and 2021, based on the Pew Analysis Heart.

Robeson County has lengthy struggled with gun-related incidents and constantly has among the many highest violent crime charges within the state.

Sixteen individuals beneath 18 have been charged with capturing offenses in Robeson County up to now 12 months, based on Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. Eight have been charged with possessing weapons, he stated, and two weapons have been discovered on college campuses throughout that point.

Wilkins stated dad and mom and guardians ought to educate youngsters in regards to the risks of weapons. It’s widespread for teenagers to imagine a gun is a toy, he stated.

“Storing firearms responsibly, in your house and car, is the primary method to assist stop firearms accidents, theft and misuse,” Wilkins informed the Border Belt Unbiased in an e-mail.

Draquine’s great-uncle was charged with failure to safe a firearm to guard a minor and was launched on a $10,000 bond, based on media studies.

Parks, 30, stated her son was a candy and pleasant baby who all the time had a smile on his face. He loved enjoying outdoors and was a gamer who usually performed Roblox and Fortnite on his Xbox.

Godwin Heights Baptist Church offered each pupil in Draquine’s class at Rowland Norment Elementary Faculty with a scholarship to attend the church’s summer time sports activities camp, the varsity district introduced in Could. Draquine’s two brothers additionally attend the varsity.

“My life has positively modified,” Parks stated. “Nothing is similar.”

NC S.A.F.E. was introduced two months after Cooper, a Democrat, stated he was making a statewide Workplace of Violence Prevention.

“This new workplace will assist coordinate the efforts to scale back violent crime, sort out each intentional and careless gun accidents and deaths, and work to maintain individuals secure,” he stated within the information launch.

Parks stated it’s as much as adults to maintain weapons away from youngsters.

“I really feel like no baby ought to know that their guardian owns a weapon,” she stated. “It shouldn’t be seen, it all the time needs to be put up and secured correctly.”